Hightower's Bralon Addison picks Oregon over Texas A&M

Hightower’s star quarterback picked Oregon on Wednesday, choosing the Ducks over Texas A&M, where he had been committed since May after initially pledging to Oklahoma State.

“It’s definitely a burden off my shoulder,” said Addison, who led Hightower to the Class 5A Division I championship game. “I know in the back of my mind I made some people unhappy and some people happy, but you can’t live life like that. When you get an opportunity to help yourself succeed, you have to pick what’s best for you.

“I fell in love with that place when I went up there, as far as academically and athletically.”

Addison said in addition to Oregon’s athletic facilities, the school’s high-ranking program for broadcast journalism was a big draw, giving him the building blocks to the start of a possible post-football career.

The Ducks came into the picture, he said, after Texas A&M fired former head coach Mike Sherman in December. At that point, it became a lot of back and forth for the Chronicle’s All-Greater Houston Player of the Year.

Addison told the crowd assembled inside Hightower’s auditorium “it’s the hardest decision of my life.” He hasn’t slept much over the past four days, finally saying he made up his mind on Oregon at about 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Joining Addison at Oregon is friend and talented wideout Chance Allen, who had committed to Oklahoma State less than two weeks ago.

Addison’s position is still up in the air, as he said Oregon head coach Chip Kelly liked Addison’s film at quarterback. He might, however, go back to wide receiver where he played his sophomore year.

“(Kelly) said that’s a good headache to have for him,” said Addison said. “With him being so creative and the type of player I am, I felt like he would put me in the best position to succeed.”
With the “hard” part done, Addison did acknowledge what lies ahead.

“I have to be here in Houston for the next four months hearing people say bad things about me, hearing people say good things about me,” he said. “But I won’t let them bring me down. I understand how people feel and I have nothing against anybody if they say anything positive or negative to me.”